


Take This Night

by The_Doctors_Song



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Family, Fluff, It is a broship relationship between River/Clara, Romance, just so you know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-02
Updated: 2013-06-07
Packaged: 2017-12-13 18:59:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/827721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Doctors_Song/pseuds/The_Doctors_Song
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Perhaps you two haven't met." </p>
<p>Oh, but they had. Clara just hadn't known it then. But she does now. The psychic link between her and River was kept open, and it wasn't just The Doctor's time stream she'd found herself in. </p>
<p>A What If/AU story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the light in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> Story title from Black Lab's 'This Night'. Chapter Title derived from chapter content. 
> 
> I don't know what brought about this. I just had this tiny thought, and inkling really, and decided to write it up. Hopefully, I can finish a chapter story, and hopefully it is this one, provided it's liked and not abhorred. Regardless, have these odd musing of my mind whilst I go make a coffee, or perhaps some tea.
> 
> Doctor Who is not of my creation, and neither are it's characters.

She's always been there. Watching, waiting, saving. Where The Doctor went, so too did she. She watched all his adventures, every encounter he had, every death he witnessed, every friend he lost. Sometimes, occasionally, she watched them too. Just in case. Besides, what better way to save The Doctor than to save those he cares about?

_Melody Pond_. 

She understood clearer now. 

_River Song_.

She was there, that day on Demon's Run. She watched from the shadows, hidden behind a uniform and a cap. She watched Madame Vastra and Jenny, Strax. She watched Amy and Rory, The Doctor. But, she also watched Melody. The baby who would become The Doctor's wife. Oh, she was so very curious. So interested to know all about what made River, River. So tempted she was to wander from The Doctor's side. Could she do that? Was it even possible? 

It didn't take long to work it out. To slip away from The Doctor, even just for one night. And it didn't take long to find her. Information was a powerful thing, especially when you've got access to the greatest source of information in the Universe.

The Doctor's mind was so very informative. 

Clara bit her lip as she stared up at the imposing building before her. _'River had lived here?'_  Straightening her back, she pushed the iron gates forward and tentatively approached the doors. Wringing her hands together nervously, she pressed her palm to the door handle, and twisted. It swung open slowly, a creak foreboding her entrance. She pushed forward, stepping across the threshold even as she cringed at the blackness she entered. The old man scrubbing away at the stairs paused, looking up with one eye narrowed and his hand shaking as he glanced over the front door. He looked right through her, stared in to her eyes as if knowing she was there, though he made no indication of being able to actually see her. She was used to it now, far too used to it unfortunately. Everyone looked past her, no one could see her. Not even The Doctor. Not yet. 

He stood shakily, walking (or rather hobbling), towards the doors and slamming it shut, as if the outside world was so terrifying even having a connection to it was horrific. Clara payed little mind to that now, she had to find Melody. Her curiousity would no doubt bite her in the bum at some point, but it'd burn inside her until she inevitably caved. It would be far easier to do so earlier, when The Doctor had little need for her now. 

Ascending the stairs, wood groaning beneath her as she put one foot forward, followed by another, Clara glanced around in nervous fright. It was absolutely terrifying here. Painted words coating the walls, some fresh, some seemingly  _years_ old. A child lived here? Really? She leaned forward, looking around the corner as she reached the top. Still dark, it was. Very little light, only enough for her to see where she was stepping. The house was near silent, the sound of her own footfalls and slightly heavy breathing all that met her ears. Without her, she wondered if there was ever any noise at all. 

As she turned a corner, the walls becoming even more graffitied, her gaze fell upon a door. Ajar only slightly, with light pouring from within. A vast contrast to the seemingly blacker hall she'd just entered. Quietly, just in case the little girl she was looking for resided inside, Clara approached. Lips parting slightly in apprehensive concentration, she tapped the door with one finger and pushed it open. It was so - childish. Toys scattered the floor (although most appeared broken), the walls were drawn on (though proper drawings, not threatening messages), and a rocking horse sat right in the middle, rocking back and forth from the wind that drifted in through the window. Light poured from the room, the brightest she'd seen in the house since her entrance. She wandered inside, hand lifting to trail her fingers along the wood of a dresser, moving to straighten stray wrinkles in the bed, pulling down the window to halt the cold. Stepping over a rather meaningless drawing, she moved towards the frames. Tilting her head, Clara gazed over the faces that stared back at her. Most of them were of a little girl, blonde and small. No doubt, this was Melody. There was one photo that stood out above the rest. Amy. Smiling soflty, sadly, Clara lifted her fingers from the surface of the dresser, moving to grasp the edge and pull the frame closer, when she was startled unexpectedly.

"Who're you?"

Clara turned, dropping her hand to her side and twisting it in the fabric of her dress. The little blonde girl, Melody, stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed and head tilted in confusion. A stance mirrored near perfectly by Clara. She hadn't been seen before. Not by anyone, not since - Clara shook her head, smiling what she hoped was an inviting, welcoming I'm-not-going-to-hurt-you kind of smile. "I'm Clara." She said, holding out her hand though she doubted the child would take it. She couldn't be older than, perhaps, eight? Melody's eyes flickered down to her outstretched hand, then back up to look directly in to Clara's own. "Why're you here?" 

She wasn't sure, but she seemed almost, hopeful? There was trepidition, oh yes, there was trepidition. Apprehension, suspicion, fear - everything Clara had expected. How could she not? She'd seen Demon's Run, see what that  _woman_ had been capable of. She had feared for the baby's safetly, especially after the 'flesh' incident. Just one of many reasons she was here. This child would, and currently is, quite important to The Doctor. In fact, this child comes to save him in her future. The Doctor might not be able to save her, not yet, but maybe she could. 

Clara smiled despite Melody's demeaner and gestured to the frames with a cock of her head. "I like your photos", she said off-handedly, an effort to change a conversation that didn't really need changing. She'd always been brilliant with children, she wouldn't have been a nanny if she wasn't. But something told her that Melody,  _River_ , would be one child quite different to the others. Melody nodded, glancing to the frame she'd moved to touch. "That's my mum." She said quietly, her hands fiddling in front of her as she stepped forward, slowly moving closer until she was standing just a little to Clara's side. Standing up on her toes, she lifted Amy's photo and clutched it in her hands, holding it close to her chest. Looking back up to Clara, she stared for a moment before pointing at the other photos. "That's me." 

Clara smiled again, nodding her head. "Yeah?" Narrowing her eyes and tilting to the side, she stared over the photographs. "Yeah, I suppose it is." 

Melody nodded again, still hugging Amy's photo to her chest as she looked up at Clara. "Why're you here?" She repeated, though curiosity seemed to dominate this time, rather than terrified suspicion. Clara paused, pondering a response. She hadn't expected Melody to see her, and for a moment, she wondered why she could. Perhaps, the psychic link was still active. Maybe that's why this child, this younger River, could see her, could hear her. Or, perhaps it was something only Melody could do. Melody Pond, Impossible Girl meets Impossible Girl. "I'm -" Clara licked her lips, drawing them in as she thought before looking down and meeting Melody's gaze with her own friendly one. "- a friend."

She blinks at her, stares, everything a normal child wouldn't do. Nodding once, she looks down at the photo in her hands before stretching, placing it back on the shelf as she turns and hugs herself, little arms wrapping around a tiny waist. "Are you here to help me?" She asks, small, timid voice drifting through air. "Are you going to save me?" This time, Clara blinks, confused. "Do you need help? Do you need saving?" She would, if she could. Any way she can help, she'll do it. Melody is important to The Doctor, and to Amy and Rory, and of course, to the TARDIS. She thinks, eventually, Melody could become important to her. Moreso than she is now, as The Doctor's wife. Melody simply nods, looking up at her hopefully, though there's a darkness in her eyes that cause Clara to falter momentarily. 

Something was going on here, something far more than what was seen at first glance. She knew the Silence were lurking about, though whether they could see her was a whole other idea. Perhaps, little Melody simply obtained an imaginary friend, like her mother once did before her. Determined, now more than ever, Clara nodded, hands falling to her hips. "Then yes. I'm here to help." 

Melody, finally, smiled. Nodding her head as she did, satisfaction filling her gaze. Clara smiled in response, though it fell somewhat. "I have to go now." She said quietly, and the child's smile fell. "Oh." She said softly, bowing her head even as Clara lowered herself to crouch in front of her. "But I'll be back. I promise." Melody nods, though she can tell the little girl doesn't believe her. Smiling one last time, she bops her on the nose before withdrawing, leaving the room behind and the small blonde as she fades from view and returns to The Doctor's side, completely missing the soft ' _Have we met before?_ ' that drifted from the light in the dark she'd just left. 


	2. Tag, You're It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually have plans for this. How strange a concept. Oh well, enjoy the strangeness that is this story.

It's not long before she's back again. Standing outside those iron gates, staring up at the still imposing building before her. It's daytime this time, and yet the house seems even more terrifying than before. She takes a deep breath before pushing the gates open and wandering along the path. She can hear a creaking sound, just around the corner. She pauses for a moment, unsure about following before curiousity settles in, and she rounds the corner.

There, seated alone and humming to herself, is Melody. Swinging on a swing set, she hums a tune Clara is not-quite familiar with. She walks around the path, arms swinging as she moves in to Melody's view. She pauses for a moment, before she continues her song and kicks her legs out, swinging back and forth. "You came back." She says quietly, eyes transfixed in front of her. 

Clara smiled, nodding her head as she swings around the pole and seats herself beside the little blonde swinging. "I told you I would." Her hands come up to grip the chains as she leans her head down and smiles at Melody.

"I didn't believe you." It's soft, quiet. A bare whisper but Clara can still hear. She pulls back because it's so honest it's near frightening. She stares at Melody, brow crinkled as she wonders  _'Just what happened to you?'_. "Well - That was silly." She tries to make herself sound light-hearted, like she isn't scared witless by an eight year old. Somehow, she succeeds.

Melody finally breaks her gaze and smiles up at Clara, slowing her swing to a slight rock as she tilts her head and blinks. "It was?" 

Clara nods, quirking her head down as she looks away and purses her lips. "Course it was." She doesn't elaborate. She doesn't fell she has too. Instead, she stands from her sing and holds out her hand. "Come on then, let's play a game." The little blonde stares at her, her hand, the swing moving back and forth between them, and then back to her. Tentatively, she reaches out and places her palm flat against Clara's, standing and slowly stepping forward. "What kind of game?"

She hums, her free hand moving to press a finger to her lips as she glances up, thinking. "Hm, how about - tag?" She looks down, Melody's frown of confusion spiraling her in to an explanation. "Basically, one of us runs and the other one has to try to catch them."

Melody tilts her head, blinking at her, recognition just barely glazing her eyes. "Is that what that's called?"

Again, Clara pauses. She turns her head down to stare at the little girl holding her hand, and she frowns. River is so very different from Melody, she can tell even though she doesn't quite know River as well as she'd like. Melody though. She's very, quiet. Reserved. A scared little girl who is used to solitude and, fear? Clara doesn't like it, but there's not much she can do. She turns back to the pathway and sighs, nodding. "Yes. I suppose it is."

They swing their hands between them, and it takes a moment for her to notice but finally Clara sees the box sitting on the doorstep. "What's that?" Melody glances over, shrugging slightly as she turns away and tugs Clara's hand. "Nothing." Clara turns, looking over her shoulder at the box as she's led away and to the backyard, weeds overgrown and a large tree branch half fallen from it's place. "It stormed last night." Melody explained, though she makes no move to continue. She pauses, licking her lips as she turns and lets got of Clara's hand. "Clara?"

Clara looks down, blinking at the sudden halt as she falters in her step and regains her balance. "Yes?" 

"Do you know the bad man?"

For a moment, Clara's confused. That bad man? Who could that be? She knows quite a few, and there's a small list of which she thinks Melody could be referring too. She narrows her eyes and tilts her head, pursing her lips as she crouches down in front of Melody and picks up her hands in her own. "The bad man?"

"... The Doctor?"

Her eyes close momentarily, because of course. The Doctor. They've just done Berlin as it is, she should have connecte the dots sooner.  _'I was trained and conditioned for one thing... I was born to kill The Doctor'_. River's words resound in her head and she flashes to another moment, when everything makes this moment much easier to understand.  _'Look at you. You still care'_. There was a reason Melody tried to kill The Doctor, and brain-washed belief wasn't just one of them.

The Doctor is a bad man, always has been, always will be.

At least to Melody Pond, that's true.

Stories about the lives lost, the planets destroyed, the species extinct. All told to little Melody in an effort to persuade her that yes, The Doctor deserved death. And that she was the one to grant it.

There's little that Clara can do now. She can't convince her otherwise, it'll change history. She may never find Amy and Rory, she may never be born herself. The Doctor won't meet River, River won't be saved, everything will end in that Library and it'll be because Melody believes in a mad man in a box.

She takes a deep breath as she nods, opening her eyes to bore straight in to Melody's. "I do, yes."

Melody freezes, shuffling back a step as her eyes widen slightly, and Clara can see the fear, the panic. "It's okay, it's okay. He - won't hurt you."

She inhales sharply as she stares at her, looking for some hint of deceit and Clara wonder's how often she does that. How often does she look for the bad in people? "Promise?"

"... Promise." It hurts to say so, because she's only met Melody twice, but she  _knows_ River now. And she knows that she's just made a promise that has no possibility of being kept. He will hurt her, in more ways than one. But Clara can't tell her that. Not yet. It's too early. She smiles instead, standing straight and once again holding out her hand. "Come on. I thought we were going to play a game?"

Melody grins this time, and it's the first time Clara's seen it. She smiles in turn and takes off at a run, glancing over her shoulder and smiling as Melody chases after her. 

Melody's first run.

Clara knows it won't be her last.


End file.
